What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On routine pipeline patrol 25 miles nw of Houghton Lake airport (htl), on a deadhead leg from bay city to kalkaska at 2,000' MSL observed a flock of geese 100' to 200' higher, began a slow shallow descending left turn intending to increase vertical separation & pass behind (south of), flock, geese were still 1/2 to 3/4 mile away. Goose that struck airplane was away from the rest, unseen. Passed above / through propeller (prop untouched),hit windscreen at top & slightly right of center.
Destroyed windscreen, broke off compass & right sun visor,passed over copilots seat, impacted top right side rear seat backrest, forcing it rearward & continued through panel into tail section, coming to rest within control cables.
The GPS tracker went offline at 0917, impact separated its power cable. Pilot squawked 7700 and declared emergency on 121.5, pilot was unable to hear ATC reply clearly due to wind noise but understood enough to contact minn. Center on 125.47. Pilot was unable to hear their reply either. Informed them of position & intentions. An airline crew then relayed comm.. Airline crew was loud enough to enable communications. Pilot redeclared emergency through relay & requested emergency equipment. Landed safely at htl.
As the FAA filed it
ON ROUTINE PIPELINE PATROL 25 MILES NW OF HOUGHTON LAKE AIRPORT (HTL), ON A DEADHEAD LEG FROM BAY CITY TO KALKASKA AT 2,000' MSL OBSERVED A FLOCK OF GEESE 100' TO 200' HIGHER, BEGAN A SLOW SHALLOW DESCENDING LEFT TURN INTENDING TO INCREASE VERTICAL SEPARATION & PASS BEHIND (SOUTH OF), FLOCK, GEESE WERE STILL 1/2 TO 3/4 MILE AWAY. GOOSE THAT STRUCK AIRPLANE WAS AWAY FROM THE REST, UNSEEN. PASSED ABOVE / THROUGH PROPELLER (PROP UNTOUCHED),HIT WINDSCREEN AT TOP & SLIGHTLY RIGHT OF CENTER.
DESTROYED WINDSCREEN, BROKE OFF COMPASS & RIGHT SUN VISOR,PASSED OVER COPILOTS SEAT, IMPACTED TOP RIGHT SIDE REAR SEAT BACKREST, FORCING IT REARWARD & CONTINUED THROUGH PANEL INTO TAIL SECTION, COMING TO REST WITHIN CONTROL CABLES.
THE GPS TRACKER WENT OFFLINE AT 0917, IMPACT SEPARATED ITS POWER CABLE. PILOT SQUAWKED 7700 AND DECLARED EMERGENCY ON 121.5, PILOT WAS UNABLE TO HEAR ATC REPLY CLEARLY DUE TO WIND NOISE BUT UNDERSTOOD ENOUGH TO CONTACT MINN. CENTER ON 125.47. PILOT WAS UNABLE TO HEAR THEIR REPLY EITHER. INFORMED THEM OF POSITION & INTENTIONS. AN AIRLINE CREW THEN RELAYED COMM.. AIRLINE CREW WAS LOUD ENOUGH TO ENABLE COMMUNICATIONS. PILOT REDECLARED EMERGENCY THROUGH RELAY & REQUESTED EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT. LANDED SAFELY AT HTL.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.